1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for operating automotive service equipment and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for operating such a system through voice commands, thus leaving the automotive service technician""s hands free to effect adjustments on the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Existing automotive service equipment, such as vehicle wheel aligners and balancers, often include computers to process data input by the technician or generated by sensors and display the results and additional information and instructions through video monitors. Since this equipment incorporates a considerable amount of computerized data processing, the automotive service technician is typically required to operate the equipment by means of a keyboard while viewing the monitor, which is usually mounted on a main console. The technician is therefore often required to direct much of his attention to the console and away from the vehicle being serviced.
The introduction of a hand held remote control devices has reduced the need to use the keyboard as often, but still requires the technician to use his hands and direct his attention to a main console in order to operate the equipment. While remote displays have further reduced this requirement by displaying some of the information generated by the computer, they too must be hand carried and hand manipulated.
The present invention disposes of the need for the technician to approach a main console to enter data through a keyboard and observe a central video monitor during operation of the automotive service equipment. It likewise requires no hand-held devices such as remote displays or controls. The technician may therefore service the vehicle more quickly and efficiently since his hands are free to work on the vehicle without the need to punch a keyboard or monitor a video console to operate the equipment.
The system of the present invention enables the technician to operate the automotive service equipment through voice commands, and to receive data and instructions from the equipment through pre-recorded or synthesized voice audio. The system comprises a microphone, through which the technician can communicate the voice commands to the automotive service equipment, a speech processor module for converting the voice commands into digital instructions which can be processed by a central processing unit (xe2x80x9cCPUxe2x80x9d) and for converting data from the CPU into pre-recorded or synthesized voice audio, and a speaker for communicating the pre-recorded or synthesized voice audio to the technician. The microphone and speaker are preferably housed in an audio headset which is worn by the technician. In addition, the headset is preferably connected to a radio frequency transceiver worn on the technician""s belt which transmits and receives information to and from a corresponding transceiver connected to the speech processor module. For those that still wish to have a visual display of the data and instructions generated by the CPU, the system of the present invention may also include a pair of goggles incorporating a heads-up display which displays the information by virtual image in the technician""s forward field of vision without blocking his general forward field of view.
The system of the present invention can be used to control any type of automotive service equipment that includes or is controlled by a CPU, or any similar computer control means, such as wheel aligners, wheel balancers and vehicle lifts and jacks, or any combination of such equipment.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings.